city block

city block (plural city blocks)

1. The smallest part of a town enclosed by streets.

   The store is huge, occupying an entire city block.

2. The distance from one urban street to the next, or an approximately comparable distance.

   In Lawrence, a mile is generally 12 city blocks east-west or 8 blocks north-south.

   Go along that road for about a city block, and you should see an old barn.

• Distance can vary widely from roughly one fifth to one half kilometer (one eighth to one third of a mile).